Homeschooling Helps

"Hands-on" (Kinesthetic) learning activities are a great way to teach because... 1-Kids enjoy learning this way. 2-Parents enjoy teaching this way. 3-The WHOLE brain is involved in learning. 4-It's a more authentic way to learn. 5-More relationship oriented.  2013 Learning Notebook Field Trip Fun Wonderworks Florida Wiggly friends. Hands-on Gardening. It's fun to watch things grow.   Making the Nile River.  Overflow of the river to the "banks" made our seeds grow.

13 years ago I made the decision.  I decided to homeschool my daughters.  I had experience as a public school teacher and a private school administrator.  However, I had no prior experience for my homeschool journey I was beginning.  Looking down the road, I wish I had known a few things before beginning.  In this blog post, my goal is to help you, as you start your journey. Getting Started with Homeschooling 10 Steps: Step 1:  BE LEGAL. Make sure your child is registered as a homeschooler with the school board of the county you are living in. Step 2:  TRUST YOURSELF.  You can homeschool! You have made the decision. Commit to the decision you have made. Step 3:  GET SET UP:  Set up your school room. Decide where you are going to have most of your learning experiences and get ready for it.  Currently we use a large dining room table that doubles as our formal dining room.  When we were starting out,...

I know that I recently posted about my ideal home school evaluation.  I must say however, the binder/folder method, may be the most institutional way to evaluate, but it is not the only way.  I recently evaluated portfolios for a homeschooling family that was extraordinary.  This family traveled the United States.  They visited Mount Rushmore, Oregon, California, and several national parks.  Their children started a home business, published brochures and were spotted by professional baseball teams and were invited to train with them.  There were no OCD folders with stamped dates, and a mile long paper trail for busy work.  Homeschooling was documented by real life experiences.  Rich, hands-on important "life" things.  The children had each published their own books (through the Apple company) about their schooling experiences.  What an awesome display of excellence and progress! To me this portfolio was a masterpiece.  The bas...

As a 17 year + homeschooling mom, I experience the same thing every year.  If you are homeschooling, maybe you can empathize with me.  I get to the month of April every year and fight a major burnout crisis.  So what do you do to get through the "Aprils" in the homeschooling year? I keep talking to myself, crazy--I know! But I'm the one who determines my destiny. I choose my own happiness.  I tell myself: 1. We've almost successfully completed another school year. 2. My children are learning a lot. 3. My standards can always be higher, but look at what we've already accomplished.  (Overachieving isn't always a good thing...balance is.) 4. I will set goals next year to meet whatever it was I felt like I lacked this year. 5. Happy is chosen! Homeschooling is chosen! Everyday isn't perfect but we are happy with the choice we've made that is best for our family. 6. Life isn't perfect.  There is no drowning in laundry and housework, it even...

If you homeschool in the State of Florida your children will need to have a test or a portfolio assessment.   Testing: Students need to sign up to take a standardized test like the FCAT or Stanford Achievement test. Sign up at a local public school as assigned by your County School Board. or Sign up with a homeschool group in the area who is administering a standardized test. The Testing Alternative : Portfolio Assessment Call a certified teacher to evaluate and sign for your completed school year. Prepare a portfolio or gather documentation for your school year. I have reviewed portfolios for almost 20 years.  The best "A+" portfolios that I have evaluated include the following:  All papers and samples organized in a 3 ring binder or file box. Documentation of attendance.  A formal attendance log or log of hours completed with dates of the school year.  Papers that are dated documenting that daily schooling/learning was taking pl...

Homeschooling.   A challenging and the best  educational decision we've made. Homeschooling is... Discipline, letting go, rethinking, creative, tried & true learning, Faith in the unseen--- seeds planted, Harvest ...a well lived life.